Madeline's Monthly Message: Month 12

Dear Madeline,
Today you are 12 months old, a.k.a. ONE YEAR old.

Happy Birthday!! And congratulations on your first successful journey around the sun!

It's hard to imagine that one year ago today I was in the hospital in labor for 14 hours, 49 minutes, when you finally made an appearance. It wasn't a bad experience. I was so happy that you were finally coming I was in pretty high spirits all day, and when you looked at me... ohh baby the love.

My love for you, my little love bug, angel, snickerdoodle, cannot be contained in my body... I think of you and I can't believe how blessed I am. It often brings a tear to my eye because my soul is bursting... I can't believe it! What could I have possibly done before this life to be the one chosen to be your mother?? It had to be something pretty unbelievably amazing!

New this month... you aren't quite walking on your own, but you will hold one of our hands and take steps sometimes. You still push your stroller with great independence and pride. You stand for long periods of time holding onto nothing... your balance is very good. It's just going to happen when you are ready and we are all for that. You crawl like a maniac all over the place. You also enjoy climbing. You climb the stairs at any chance you get... you are under constant supervision so you haven't been able to do it on your own yet - hopefully this never happens. We are getting another gate for the stairs tomorrow. You also enjoy climbing on the elliptical upstairs, and you have attempted several times, unsuccessfully, to climb out of your playard in the TV room. I'm sure you will soon conquer this obstacle. You have so much energy that if we don't let you walk and crawl and climb most of the day, you are up until very late at night. It is a poor man who has to be in your path after being in the carseat or stroller all day.

You and your Dad have an extremely special bond. You wait for him at the door by the garage every day when I tell you he is on his way home. When he does finally get home you jump and dance and smile and laugh and when he picks you up all you want to do is be with him. He walks with you a lot and reads to you... he's your bud, and I love it. I love that you have that relationship with him. It's what I always wanted for my babies. Yes, you are a Daddy's girl... but you are still your Momma's baby, and I love that.

Changing your diaper is an Olympic event. You immediately flip over onto your belly and try over and over to stand up. If we even try to attempt to stop you and reposition you, you begin throwing everything you can get your hands on. I have become quite skilled at putting diapers on you while you are standing up or if you are not facing me. I'd let you go free with nothing on but I just can't fathom cleaning up the poop and pee on the carpet. I don't want to do it.

You are a good eater most of the time. Your favorites now-a-days are chicken (big time), pears, watermelon, nectarine, peach, grapes, baby goldfish crackers, and yogurt drops. You also enjoy papertowels, wet wipes, books, and dryer lint... though these are not usually on the menu. So you get a pretty wide array of vitamins and minerals. You still throw a lot of stuff on the ground, and try to hide your food in your diaper or in a nearby drawer you can successfully pull open, but you are also doing well with feeding yourself. You know which end is the correct end of the spoon now and can dip it in the bowl properly and then put the food in your mouth. It's quite a mess and the food sometimes flips over your head onto the floor or into your hair. The point is you are getting it and it is very fun to watch you grasp different concepts.

You love to talk and sing. You still talk a lot of baby jibberish but you can say words. Some common ones are dih-dih (kitty), Dah! (Daddy), Momma (Momma), boo (blue), meh-mo (Elmo), and BAH! (the word you use for everything else, and when you get sick of me asking you if you can say words). When you talk to kitty, you talk to her in a high-pitched voice (like I do). You also talk in a high-pitched, gentle voice to all of your stuffed friends and dollies. It is the cutest thing.

You sing to the radio and you sing along with your Elmo movie now. I love that you want to sing. You also dance. You also can't help but shake your hips and head in a very rhythmic, almost violently active manner, when you hear music. You even dance when you hear any sort of rhythm... like if we are reading you a poem or something. I tell people all the time that music is in your soul... I truly believe it. Music will always be a big part of your life.

We are teaching you to love your Mother Earth. Every time we leave a room you point at the light switch and if something is on, you turn it off. You are also very good at putting things in the garbage. You also enjoy eating grass and dirt.

You've been out a lot this month. We went to the Pink Palace museum as a family. You slept through most of that. We went to the zoo with Brooke and her momma, and to the park near our house. We also went to Shelby Farms Park together as a family for the first time. We go on walks more because it is getting cooler. You love being outside so I am trying to incorporate it more into our day.

You are a very affectionate little person. You hug and kiss me and your dad regularly. You also love to hug kitty. You are getting much better at petting her. She still runs when you come toward her, but only sometimes, which is a huge improvement over last month. You love to cuddle with and hug your stuffed animals and dolls.

You are also very friendly. You wave at everyone - especially other little children and babies. When you aren't sure if you should wave or not you do what I like to call a "contained wave." You wave with one hand while holding it with the other hand as if you are holding the waving hand back or something.

Naptime. It's sometimes easy... sometimes you are so tired you just lay down and you are out. Those times are rare. You get really tired... but you don't like to nap. So sometimes it's a struggle. You've mastered the fake cry. You've also learned that if you scream as if someone is ripping your arms off or you have been set on fire, you will get attention.

You understand the sign (in sign language) for "milk" and "bath". All the other signs you haven't seemed to care too much about.

You still love reading. You love to turn pages mostly. If we don't read fast enough you will let us know it's time to turn the page. Of course, like I said before, some books are delicious to you... literally. Specifically a small cardboard book from your Grandma Suzy called "Alligator and Friends A to E". Of course, now the cover reads, "d Friends A to E".

You love to comb and brush my hair. You also like to put blush on my cheeks for me... though at times it ends up on my chin or forehead... it will totally be the style when you are older because you are a trendsetter.

All of my life I have wanted to be a mother. From the time I was very little and enjoyed playing with my dolls and kitties to the time I finally met your father... having a baby has been this constant, almost gnawing, thought in my head. So bad, sometimes I had an actual, physical ache in my chest. When you were born Madeline, I finally knew why. I finally knew that the reason I was aching and thinking about you so much was because I MISSED you! I feel like I have known you forever. I MISSED our friendship, your smile... oh the joy I felt, holding you in my arms for the first time - FINALLY after waiting for what felt like an eternity (30 1/2 years!) I felt an immediate connection with you, and this first year of your life has been the happiest time of my life.

I love you so much!!
Love,

Momma